The German Per Bittner won the fourth edition of the Barcelona-Maresme Half Challenge International Triathlon that brought together 1.700 triathletes

The German Per Bittner won the fourth edition of the Barcelona-Maresme Half Challenge International Triathlon that brought together 1.700 Spanish and foreign triathletes in the Barcelona town of Calella.

The test was decided in the last kilometers with the reaction of Bittner that was reducing kilometer to kilometer the difference of the Russian Stanislav Krylov. The Teutón finished more whole and showed like the strongest one in a very hard day by the strong conditions of heat.

The Spanish Raul Amatriain again stood out with a race of less to more and ended up in a more than worthwhile third place that places him as the best Spanish middle distance triathlete this season after his triumph in Valencia last March; while Blanchart, European long distance champion, was fourth.

The competition started with a swimming sector that dominated the Danish Rasmus Petreaus, who was followed by Krylov two seconds and the New Zealander James Elvery, 36 seconds. The oceanic debuted in long distance after being out of the New Zealand list for London 2012. The "Kiwi" struggled to adapt to the distance and paid a hard fall in the cycling sector that left him touched.

The cycling sector had a clear dominance in Krylov, which was increasing its advantage against a Miquel Blanchart who could not keep the infernal pace of the Russian and saw how Bittner was deploying his power to let him off the hook. Amatriain passed his particular desert crossing after leaving very far in the swimming sector, although it improves in each test in the water.

At the end of the cycling Krylov maintained an income of 1: 53 on Bittner, more than 5 minutes on an amazing Andreas Borch, almost five and a half minutes on Blanchart and more than eight minutes on Amatriain who started the race on foot in eleventh position at 2 : 41 of the podium.

The last sector was a pulse between Krylov and Bittner who was gaining stride to stride the German. In the 5 kilometer he had already shot the Gaul and in the 6 he was already the undisputed leader. From there he was increasing his difference against a Krylov who dosed to keep the second place. Behind Blanchart saw how the navarro Amatriain squeezed him and in the 17 kilometer it was already his shadow and a few meters later he surpassed to confirm his presence on the podium.

In the final stretch was a full Bittner while behind Krylov maintained with just over a minute second place before the thrust of Amatriain, who eventually endorsed 41 seconds to Blanchart.

Video http://www.esport3.cat/video/4106990/Half-Challenge-BarcelonaMaresme